Window blinds with alternate lift mechanism

Abstract

In a first embodiment, a selective adjustment cord is provided as a very thin cord is extended through a series of thin engagement apertures which lie adjacent the main lift cord openings in a horizontal blind set. A series of engagement structures themselves cannot fit through the thin engagement apertures, and the selective adjustment cord is capable of movement of a louver having an engagement structure by only about the distance between adjacent louvers. In a second embodiment a slip fitting can be placed on specified louvers such that the first amount of upward travel of the lift cord will immediately lift the slats to which the slip fitting is engaged. Further movement of the lift cord will overcome the resistance of the slip fitting and allow the blinds to be lifted normally.

1. A horizontal blind set comprising:
 an upper support; 
 a ladder cord having a pair of vertical members and a series of horizontal step connectors, said ladder cord supported from said upper support; 
 a plurality of louvers supported by said ladder cord; 
 a lift cord supported from said upper support, for raising a bottom most one of said plurality of louvers upward to collect all said plurality of louvers in an upper position adjacent said upper support and closely adjacent each other; 
 a selective lift cord extending from said upper support and through a selective lift aperture in each of said plurality of louvers through which it extends; and 
 at least one interference member supported by said selective lift cord and positioned underneath a selective lift aperture of at least one of said plurality of louvers having an selective lift aperture such that a raising of said lift cord toward said upper support causes a raising of said louver having said interference member positioned immediately underneath it, toward a next most adjacent overlying louver not having said at least one interference member and away from a next most adjacent underlying louver not having said at least one interference member such that the lifting of the least one of said plurality of louvers having an selective lift aperture with said interference member positioned immediately underneath it creates an increased spacing between said least one of said plurality of louvers having an selective lift aperture with said interference member positioned immediately underneath it and the next most adjacent underlying louver not having said at least one interference member, said increased spacing ranging from more than a single louver spacing to a nearly double louver spacing without affecting the angular orientation of said plurality of said louvers. 
 
   
   
     2. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 1  wherein said upper support is a channel. 
   
   
     3. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 1  wherein said at least one interference member has a size which will enable said at least one interference member to perform said raising of said louver as said selective lift cord is moved upward. 
   
   
     4. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 3  wherein said at least one interference member is a metal member crimped onto said selective lift cord. 
   
   
     5. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 3  wherein said at least one interference member is a member attached onto said selective lift cord. 
   
   
     6. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 1  wherein said lift cord extending from said upper support and through a lift cord opening in each of said plurality of louvers through which it extends, and wherein said selective lift aperture and said lift cord opening are adjacent and centered along the length of at least one of said plurality of louvers. 
   
   
     7. A horizontal blind set comprising:
 an upper support; 
 a ladder cord having a pair of vertical members and a series of horizontal step connectors, said ladder cord supported from said upper support; 
 a plurality of louvers supported by said ladder cord; 
 a lift cord for raising a bottom most one of said louvers upward to collect all said louvers in an upper position adjacent said upper support and closely adjacent each other; 
 a slip fitting attached to at least a first one of said plurality of louvers between at least a second one of said plurality of louvers overlying said first one of said plurality of said louvers lacking said slip fitting and at least a third one of said plurality of louvers underlying said first one of said plurality of said louvers lacking said slip fitting, said slip fitting engaging said lift cord with enough force between said lift cord and said slip fitting to lift said at least said first one of said plurality of louvers with respect to said lift cord toward said second one of said plurality of louvers overlying said first one of said plurality of said louvers, but not enough force engagement with said lift cord to resist movement of said lift cord with respect to said slip fitting once said at least a first one of said plurality of louvers is restrained by said at least a second one of said plurality of louvers overlying said at least a first one of said plurality of said louvers to then allow the lift cord to slip through said slip fitting to lift said plurality of said louvers into a position closely adjacent each others whereby the actuation of said lift cord by a distance approximating the distance between said first one of said plurality of louvers and said at least a second one of said plurality of louvers overlying said first one of said plurality of said louvers will cause a separation between said first one of said plurality of louvers and at least a third one of said plurality of louvers underlying said first one of said plurality of said louvers, said increased separation ranging from more than a single louver spacing to a nearly double louver spacing without affecting the angular orientation of said plurality of said louvers. 
 
   
   
     8. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 7  wherein said plurality of louvers supported by said ladder cord each have a lift cord opening and wherein said slip fitting is attached to every other said lift cord opening. 
   
   
     9. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 8  wherein said slip fitting further comprises an upper flange attached to said slip fitting body to fix said body with respect to said lift cord opening. 
   
   
     10. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 9  wherein said slip fitting further comprises an extension opposite said flange for securing said slip fitting with respect to said lift cord opening. 
   
   
     11. The horizontal blind set as recited in  claim 8  wherein said slip fitting further comprises a body having an main opening and a slot opening for admitting said lift cord to pass through said main opening, said main opening having at least one surface for engaging said lift cord with said enough force between said lift cord and said slip fitting to lift said at least one of said plurality of louvers with respect to said lift cord, but not enough to resist movement of said lift cord with respect to said slip fitting once said at least one of said plurality of louvers is restrained by at least one of another one of said at least one of said plurality of louvers and said ladder cord.